All Roads Lead Me Here
by effervesced
Summary: "Christian Grey might just be what you need . . . or you might be what he needs." Ana finally meets someone who gets her to open up like never before, and she somehow manages to turn his whole world upside-down upon her arrival to his life. Will their secrets become a barrier between them or will they cause them to hold onto each other?
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Hi! I just wanted to say a few things before you continue reading..._

_First, this is my first attempt at writing a story for the Fifty Shades Trilogy, and also my first attempt at writing again after almost two years, so forgive me if I'm a little too…rusty. This was not edited (I was too excited and anxious to get it posted, haha), so bear with me, please! :)_

_Second, English is not my native language, so forgive me if it shows!_

_I hope you enjoy! :)_

* * *

"No, Kate. I can't let you pay my half of the rent this time. You've helped me too much," Ana says, gazing at Kate in exasperation.

Kate rolls her eyes. "Ana, it's fine," she insists. "I'll pay the rent until you find a job. Didn't you tell me and Ray that you were interested in applying for a position at SIP?"

Ana hesitates. "Well, yes, but –"

"Then it's settled!" Kate exclaims. Ana briefly wonders if the people who live in the apartment next to theirs are able to hear her best friend's loud voice. "I'll pay for the rent until you find a job," Kate finishes with certainty, and though it's probably a lost cause to talk her out of this, Ana at least has to try.

Because seriously – Kate has helped her enough. She doesn't want to depend on her to pay the rent, too.

She attempts to stand her ground. "No," she says stubbornly. "I'll just – I'll find a way to make some money to help with the rent. Kate, please." She knows Kate can afford it, but that doesn't mean that she will easily relent. She doesn't want to be that friend who becomes a burden.

She's been hoping that their move here in Seattle would signify a fresh start; a new beginning, with all the new possibilities.

"How are you going to do that? You're not planning to do something…_illegal_, are you?" the blonde jokes, but there's skepticism in her voice.

Now it's Ana's turn to roll her eyes. Honestly, Kate is the most impossible person to deal with sometimes. But yes, in regards to her first question, she's not really sure of the answer herself.

They've just managed to finish their move, and while Kate is already guaranteed a job for _Kavanagh Media_, the company owned by her father, Ana has yet to find one herself. She could have applied for a job there, too, but she isn't really interested in it if she were to be honest with herself.

Ana sighs. "Maybe I should just apply to magazine companies, like _Seattle Times _or something," she mumbles. Hell, even she sounds unsure of what she's saying.

"Ana, we both know that working for Seattle Times isn't what you want. Besides, I'm not sure you can keep up with that kind of job. You're not very interested in gossips most of the time."

"It isn't all about gossip, Kate."

"Well yeah, but you know what I mean. And you know I only care about the gossip anyway," Kate jokes, giggling slightly. "But seriously, Steele, I'm fine with paying the rent until you find yourself a job. No rush. I'll help you find one if you want." She places both her hands on Ana's shoulders in finality, then engulfs her in a hug. "I only want to look out for you. You're like my stubborn little sister who still needs baby-sitting sometimes," she teases.

"Jeez, thanks, Kate," Ana mutters grumpily, but returns the hug nonetheless. She takes a deep breath, then releases it slowly. "I'm so lucky to have you," she whispers. "You don't know how much this means to me."

"I've got your back, Ana, just like how I know you have mine," Kate replies with a smile, pulling away. "Okay, that's enough drama for now. Let's unpack everything!"

* * *

Ana starts her job-hunting the next day. She posts her resume online and then proceeds on seeking for jobs in different publishing companies. Admittedly, she's been hoping for a position in Seattle Independent Publishing in particular, but just in case that doesn't work out, she applies to a couple more publishing houses in the city.

"Oh, Seattle, I hope you'll start feeling like home in no time," she says quietly to herself as she makes her way home. She just really wants things to work out soon.

As she arrives to her and Kate's apartment, she parks Wanda and makes her way inside. After a long day of going out and about the city looking for a job, and familiarizing herself with her new neighborhood, she's just antsy to take a shower, eat, and go to bed.

She opens the door to see Kate all dressed up. "Ana!" Kate exclaims with a smile. "I've been waiting for you. Do I look fine?"

Ana's confused. "You do, but where are you going?"

Kate's smile becomes bigger. "We're going to a bar tonight!"

"_We _as in who, Kate?" Ana asks, narrowing her eyes, though the answer to her question is obvious.

"You and me, duh," the blonde says. Ana groans in response, but decides not to complain. She knows it would be pointless to talk her best friend out of this. "Oh, and Elliot, too!" Kate adds excitedly.

What? "Who's Elliot, now?" Ana inquires, making her way to the bathroom.

"This guy I met today at a coffee shop. Oh, Ana, he's so hot and dreamy!" And wow, okay, Ana has never seen Kate so . . . smitten over a guy she just met. But she decides not to question it. "His brother's not too bad himself. Not much of a talker, though. You ever heard of Christian Grey?"

"No," Ana says with a roll of her eyes. "I'm gonna take a shower."

"Alright, I'll go find you something hot to wear. Did you have dinner on your way home?"

"Not really, but I'm not hungry!" Ana calls out as she steps into the shower.

She's had a long day already, but she has a feeling that tonight will feel just as long.

* * *

"_God_, Kate, this is way too much!" Ana hisses as she repeatedly pushes down the skirt of her dress to cover more of her thighs. Kate's decided to have her wear a strapless navy blue dress that's a bit tighter and a bit shorter for Ana's taste, and white heels to match. It's not that the outfit in itself feels uncomfortable to wear – it actually makes her feel good about her body for once – it's the stares she's been getting ever since they arrived at the bar that makes her feel uncomfortable.

What if they all think she looks hideous? After all, Ana never saw herself as someone who's attractive.

"Would you stop? I know you feel insecure but suck it all in, Ana. You look hot." Kate's voice carries a tone of finality as she looks around the room for her new _friend_ Elliot.

"Kate!" someone calls out. Ana follows her friend through the people at the bar until they stop in front of a tall blonde.

"Elliot!" Kate says before kissing Elliot straight on the mouth. Ana's not even shocked, not really. Kate looks giddy as she pulls away. "This is my best friend, Anastasia Steele. Ana, this is Elliot," she introduces, and _jeez_, she sounds so happy.

"Nice to meet you, Anastasia," Elliot says, holding out his hand.

"Ana, please," she replies with a blush, slightly embarrassed by being called her full first name as she takes his hand. "And it's nice to meet you too."

Elliot smiles then puts his arm around Kate. "So, drinks, ladies?"

* * *

By the time Friday rolls around and Ana still hasn't heard anything from potential employers, she begins to allow herself to lose the optimism that Kate so desperately instilled in her.

"Maybe a 4.0 GPA isn't so impressive, after all," she murmurs with a laugh that is void of humor. She sighs and takes a long sip of her tea.

José clicks his tongue in disapproval. "Aw, come on, Ana. It's too early for you to lose hope," he tells her. "We both know you're amazing. It's only a matter of time before one of those companies gives you a call. Who knows, maybe all of them will." He raises his eyebrows at her with a smile.

José came from Portland to visit her and Kate, and because Kate has to work, it was only Ana who could take up José on his offer for breakfast. They're in a café called _Sweets &amp; Treats_ just a few blocks from Ana and Kate's apartment. The place is big and slightly packed, but the atmosphere is cozy, and Ana makes a mental note to go here more often. Maybe with a book to read or something.

"Don't be ridiculous, José," she replies with a tight smile. "We both know that's not going to happen."

"Why not? I swear, you don't give yourself enough credit." He shakes his head as he takes a bite in his muffin.

She doesn't know whether to believe that or not. On a normal circumstance, she would have without a second thought, but now that she's aware of José's feelings for her, Ana's starting to second-guess whether his praises are genuine or if they're just given for her to like him.

Which is impossible, really, because José has always been like a brother to Ana.

José sighs heavily. "This is getting depressing. Come on, Steele, finish your tea and show me around your new city."

* * *

She decides to find a part-time job for the mean time, and ends up working at _Sweets &amp; Treats_ as a waitress there. It was kind of a split-second moment that she was hired. She spent most of Saturday on the café, rereading her favorite book _Pride and Prejudice _when one of the workers named Allison came up to her just to make conversation.

Somewhere along their conversation, Allison brought up that the owner of the café, a woman named, Mia Grey, wanted to hire more workers to be able to serve their customers more efficiently, and Ana jumped at the chance. It's better than spending most of her days inside their apartment, and at least it's a source of money to help her get by until she lands a real job.

She talked that same day to the manager of the place, and by some luck, she got a job even with her inexperience.

"You'll basically just help serving our guests their orders, and cleaning some tables here and there. You start on Monday, and you'll have Sundays off," the manager had told her.

And now here she is, her first day of work.

"Ana!" Allison calls. "Do you want to meet everyone else first, or are you ready to start your day?"

Ana shrugs. "There are quite a number of people here already, might as well start working now. I'll just meet everyone later," she says, smiling. Truthfully, she's too shy to introduce herself with her co-workers just yet, so she's trying to find a way to avoid that.

"Okay, great, this order belongs to the woman on table no. 5. Right over there," Allison says, pointing to a table near the corner of the café. Ana takes the tray of order and starts making her way over to the table. "Remember to smile, Ana!"

She plasters an easy beam across her face, greeting the old woman and giving her the plate of pancakes and cup of coffee on the tray. She moves to the table next to the older woman's and starts cleaning it up.

She turns to make her way back to the counter when she hears an unfamiliar voice. "That tray looks heavier than you."

Ana looks up at the source of the voice, surprised when she comes face to face with a man seated at the table in the corner of the café. She couldn't see his face though; he's wearing a baseball cap. "I'm sorry, sir?" She resists the urge to frown at his comment, reminding herself that this man is a customer. She wouldn't want to be fired on her first day of work.

The man stands while he removes the cap he's wearing, and _oh my_. Ana loses all form of articulation as her eyes meet with a beautiful pair of gray ones. The looks of the man disarms her completely, and she tightens her grip on the tray she's holding to make sure it doesn't fall to the floor.

He smirks at her. "You look flustered, Miss . . . ?" he trails off.

Ana shakes her head, as if to snap herself out of the trance of this man's charm. "Ana," she croaks. "Anastasia Steele."

He grins at her. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Steele," he murmurs, his voice low. "I believe you're new here?" he asks. He must be a regular, if he's aware of who are this café's old workers.

"I am, Mr. . . ." she stops, not knowing the stranger's name.

He looks taken aback for a moment, but then recovers with an amused smirk. Usually such expression would annoy Ana, but this man just manages to make it look so . . . swoon-worthy. It awakens something from Ana's insides.

"Grey," he says, and he's grinning now. "Christian Grey."

_Grey? _The surname sounds sickeningly familiar, but Ana's too distracted by Christian Grey's good looks to dwell on it immediately.

"Would you like to join me for a cup of coffee after we put that tray away, Miss Steele?" he asks with a chuckle.

That finally snaps Ana out of her stupor. "I'm – I'm sorry, Mr. Grey. I'm not sure Mrs. Thompson, the manager, would approve of me doing that when I should be working. It's, um . . . It's my first day and I don't want to get fired so soon," she mumbles bashfully.

He laughs, now, his eyes crinkling at the corners. _Oh_, he really is beautiful. What a sight to see. "That's okay. I'm sure if you drop my name, they won't mind," he says seriously after a moment.

What? Okay, who _is_ this man?

He must notice the confused look on Ana's face, because he continues speaking before she even has to ask.

"I don't think Mrs. Thompson would mind if I asked you to sit down for a cup of coffee. After all, I'm her boss's brother," he finally tells her, and he almost sounds reluctant to admit that fact.

"You're the brother of my boss's boss?" Ana asks dumbly.

"Yes," he replies. The amused smile he's wearing seems to be permanent. "Mia Grey?"

Oh, God. She was so captivated by this man's beauty that she failed to remember the name of her own boss. How did she not see that before?

* * *

_This was supposed to be a one-shot, but I didn't get to finish it right away, so I'm splitting it into chapters instead._

_Please leave a review and tell me what you think! :)_


	2. Chapter 2

_Okay, this took way longer than necessary, and I'm very sorry for that. My muse kind of fled the scene right when I was only a little over a thousand words in, and between its ditching and college, I just didn't have the chance to work on this as soon as I wanted to. Again, my apologies! In all the while I wasn't able to write, though, I revised my outline for this story to make it more apt at being a multi-chapter fic. I also changed its summary. Yay!_

_Alright, enough with my rambling. This chapter is pretty long, and I hope you like it! I would really love to hear what you think._

* * *

Ana blinks at him before recovering her equilibrium. "Oh. _Oh my goodness_. I'm so sorry, Mr. Grey. I don't really know how I could possibly miss that." God, could she feel any more embarrassed? She's pretty sure her face just turned to a shade of a tomato right now.

He waves a hand dismissively. "It's quite alright. I would hate to sound arrogant, Miss Steele, but I'm afraid such reaction is not new to me." He's still smiling at her, and Ana has to remind herself to breathe. This man could really qualify as a god. He's just so...perfect, really. With unruly, dark copper hair, a structured face, and a defined body. The navy blue V-neck and dark pants he's wearing hug him just enough to make him look devastatingly handsome. And his gray eyes are like nothing she's seen before. His looks almost have her keeling over.

"Of course," she says, not knowing what else to say. She's completely out of sorts. Christian Grey has caught her completely off-guard.

"Now, about that coffee . . ." His tone begins to carry an edge of impatience.

"Oh yes, sorry, excuse me for a moment, Mr. Grey," she mumbles hastily. "I have to get rid of this tray and, um, ask Mrs. Thompson if it would be okay for me to share a drink with you." She starts to walk back towards Allison's counter, anxious to escape the intoxicating feeling that seems to have developed in her close proximity with Mr. Grey. His presence just makes her forget everything, and disables her to think straight. Honestly, you'd think a girl like her perceived to be intelligent would have the ability to hold herself together in front of some man.

But then again, _some man_ probably isn't as magnificent as Mr. Grey is.

"_Ana!_ What took you so long?" Allison hisses as she reaches the counter and puts the tray down, inhaling deeply. She feels like she's run a marathon. Her co-worker is fixing a cup of latte as she continues to speak. "Mrs. Thompson caught a glimpse of you chatting with a customer, and she was _not _pleased. Are you trying to get yourself fired on your first day?!" Allison then proceeds to place the latte on a tray with waffles. "You haven't even met everyone else yet."

Ana releases a sigh, unsure of where to begin. "I'm sorry, Ally," she offers. Wow, she's not sure how many times she's said that today. "I, um – the customer, he wanted . . . He said his name is Christian Grey," she states, shrugging uncertainly. She doesn't know how to explain the whole scenario.

Probably because she's not sure of what really happened herself.

Allison, who's just about to hand her the tray, almost drops it in time with her jaw. "Wh – _What? _Ana, did you just say _Christian Grey_?" she asks disbelievingly. She begins fiddling with her hair, then her apron. "_Where is he? Oh my god! _If he really is here, I hope I look presentable."

Ana stares at her, completely befuddled by her friend's reaction.

They're interrupted by a male's harsh whisper. "Ally, can you keep your voice down? I can't hear the kind lady's order." Another co-worker glares at Allison, obviously frustrated by her sudden outburst. Ana remains silent, still at a loss for words.

"I'm sorry, James, but Ana said _Mr. Grey _is here!" Allison gushes.

The man – James, as Allison called him – gasps as his eyes widen. Not the most manly reaction, really. He and Ally finish fetching the orders of the people in line before James replies, "Are you serious? Christian Grey? Where? I didn't notice him enter the café. Oh god, I hope we didn't make him wait too long for his order . . ." He looks thoughtful for a moment, like he's recalling a previous experience. An unpleasant one, Ana thinks, as his expression hints a bit of panic.

Hmm, seems like Mr. Grey is right. One drop of his name and people seem to respond with recognition. Though she shouldn't be surprised; he _is _the owner's brother, after all. Still, she doesn't understand the sheer fascination in their voices. It's almost as if he's something _more _than just being Ms. Grey's brother.

_Oh, shit! _Suddenly, a light bulb seems to flash in her brain, triggering a memory, and she remembers Kate mentioning his name before. He's also Elliot Grey's brother! The same man Kate asked her if she knew, which she really didn't. Should she know him? Is he some kind of a celebrity? He's so good-looking Ana wouldn't be surprised if he were.

Mrs. Thompson comes striding toward the three of them with a frown on her face. _Oh dear_, she's definitely _not_ happy. "I believe you are employed to work, and not to gossip in your workplace," she says disapprovingly, eyeing them with a look akin to pure distaste.

Ana's about to open her mouth to apologize but Ally beats her to it. "Our apologies, Ma'am, but Ana just told us that Mr. Grey is here."

Mrs. Thompson's head snaps to her. "He is? Where is he?" Her eyes quickly scan the room for any sign of him.

"Um, he's right over there in the corner, table no. 7, Ma'am," Ana interrupts shyly, subtly pointing her finger in his direction. He's on his phone, but his eyes are intense on Ana's. She shivers slightly.

"I don't understand." Mrs. Thompson's voice snaps her out of her reverie. "Usually he calls before he drops by so that his order's ready by the time he arrives." The older woman shakes her head, then without another word, makes her way towards Mr. Grey's table.

The influx of customers in the shop has gone timid, buying them time for some conversation. Ally and James simultaneously turn to Ana. "So, what did Mr. Grey tell you? Fuck, I hope you didn't spend all that time talking with him having to hear him bitch about our service," Ally says, shuddering.

"Um, no . . ."

"So what _did_ he say?" James cuts in curiously. "I'm James, by the way. Me and Ally work this counter," he says with a friendly smile, holding out his hand. "I hope you've met the rest. We'd hate to make you feel unwelcome on your first day. Everybody here is nice."

"Ana, and no, I'm afraid I haven't met them yet," she says in reply, taking his outstretched hand. "Mr. Grey just, uh . . . He asked me to have a cup of coffee with him." She smiles sheepishly at the two of them. She isn't quite sure of the protocol on how to act around your boss's brother, but she's pretty sure drinking coffee – or tea, for that matter because she just _hates_ the taste of coffee – and chatting with him like long-lost friends isn't it.

"_What?_" Again, both her first friends in her workplace speak with incredulity in their voices.

Before Ana could reply, Mrs. Thompson is already walking towards them, and she braces herself for yet another reprimand that's sure to come their way but –

It doesn't. "Ana, Mr. Grey has requested for you," the older woman tells her. Poor Mrs. Thompson looks as bewildered as Ana feels. "He says to bring your drink with you. Espresso, I think. Fix it now and remove your apron. He doesn't like waiting. Get someone else to take care of orders from this counter." And with that, she heads back inside the kitchen.

She asks Ally for Twining's English Breakfast tea instead of an espresso, and her friend makes quick work of everything, and before she knows it, she's out of her apron and standing in front of Mr. Grey.

"Anastasia, please, sit," Mr. Grey says, gesturing to the seat in front of him. Ana puts her drink down carefully on the table, then plops herself down primly in front of him. She looks down and fixes her eyes on her tea. If she looks him straight in the eye, she'll embarrass herself again. "You didn't get yourself coffee?" he asks, and when she finally looks up, he seems genuinely surprised. He furrows his brows immediately, though. "I thought I asked Mrs. Thompson to have you fixed a cup of espresso," he continues. "That's about the only thing I like here in Mia's café. Everything else is just too sweet."

Before she knows any better, she finds her lips moving. "Well, it must be called Sweets &amp; Treats for a reason." Her eyes roll a little then widen instantly. Oh, crap. Did she really just say that? To her boss's boss's brother?

Yes, she did.

Did she say that with an eye-roll?

Yes, she did.

_Double crap_.

She is _so_ getting fired today. There's not even a doubt about it.

"Touché, Miss Steele."

She sees the corner of his lips twitch up, his eyes dancing with humor. Perhaps courtesy of the horrified expression she's sure she's wearing. "Oh god, I'm so sorry." She feels the heat of her blush creep up her neck before it settles on her cheeks. "I am _so _going to lose my job today."

To her sheer amazement, he only laughs at her. She was already so prepared to be on the receiving end of his wrath.

_Today is just full of surprises, isn't it?_ Her subconscious tells her. She mentally agrees.

"I think you've apologized to me enough to last me a day."

She feels herself flush an even deeper shade of red, and she does her best to avoid looking at him again. "I just – I'm not . . ."

She feels a finger tip her chin upwards…until blue eyes meet gray. "Breathe, baby," he murmurs, and her insides do that floppy thing they did earlier. Right. How is she supposed to breathe when he's right there looking all god-like? "You seem nervous."

That's because she is. She wonders if she could just tell him that. Unsure, she says instead, "It's not every day that an employee gets to share breakfast with her boss's boss's brother." What the hell, she's going to lose her job anyway, so she might as well speak her mind.

"You've got quite the smart mouth, Miss Steele," he comments, brushing his index finger back and forth on his chin, his eyes narrowing into slits before relaxing again. "But I suppose you have a point, though I'd hardly call this breakfast."

No, she feels so intimidated by him that she's pretty sure she'll categorize this as an important business meeting.

"I hope I'm not scaring you away. Mia would never let me hear the end of it, otherwise." He takes his drink and brings it up to his lips, sipping the dark liquid deliberately.

She finds herself mesmerized by the simple action. What is it about him that makes it look _so...sensual?_

"It's not that, not exactly," she says. She struggles to find the right words. She's just not sure where she stands with this man. "It's just that I'm not entirely sure for the purpose of this…situation right here, what we're doing," she admits quietly. "And please, call me Ana."

He raises an eyebrow. "I'm not allowed to get to know my sister's employees, _Ana_?"

"That's not what I was trying to say, Mr. Grey." _She's _not even sure what she's trying to say. She mentally shakes her head at herself, remembering to wallow in self-pity later, after she completely makes a fool of herself in front of the most handsome man she has ever laid eyes on. "Oh well, never-mind."

"If you say so," he says. He tilts his head slightly upwards, keeping his eyes on her, and he looks so very hot Ana feels an unfamiliar tightening feeling below her belly and... _Wow_. His effect on her is alien but…it feels oh so…_good_. "I'd like to know more about you." His voice is a rich, seductive tone.

She takes a deep, shuddering breath. "More? What do you already know?"

"Well, for one, you like being called Ana, rather than Anastasia or by your last name." His grin is boyish and youthful. "And," he gestures to her drink, "By your choice of beverage, I'd dare conclude that you prefer tea over coffee."

She feels herself finally mirror his smile, the nerves and anxiety she's feeling starting to ebb away. "That would be right, good sir." At her words, she notices something in his expression change. His eyes seem to darken a few shades…why, she doesn't know.

But uh-oh. His look could only mean trouble.

She thinks of possible ways to get rid of the sexual tension that's starting to linger between them. Because if this perfection of a man showed any interest in her at all, she's pretty damn sure she'll jump at any chance he throws her way.

_Wow, when did you become a whore that flung herself at random men? _It's her subconscious again, and Ana chooses to pay no attention to her this time.

Christian Grey is no random man.

"I have to be honest with you, Mr. Grey," she says in an attempt to steer their conversation elsewhere, "I really have no idea who you are. Not before now, anyway. And even as I sit here with you, I'm pretty sure all the other people in the room looking at our table right now know more about you than I do."

He smiles, almost shyly, his eyes twinkling. And Ana may hardly know him, but she thinks she could fall for him because of this smile alone. "I kind of figured that out on my own awhile ago, when I had to tell you who I am."

"Oh."

"I like that you didn't actually."

"Huh?" Great, now she's reduced to monosyllabic replies.

Jeez, she should really try to get herself together.

"Recognize me," he clarifies. "It feels…new." Oh. She hopes that's a good thing.

She decides to ask anyway. "_Good_ new or _bad_ new?"

"Good, I think. Because you get to have a real chance of truly knowing me. A rare opportunity, if I get to say so myself."

His words hold an indication of promise.

_**Christian's POV**_

His sister's new employee is attractive.

Scratch that, she's probably the most beautiful woman Christian has seen for a long time. The only women he's ever really considered beautiful ever since he was a kid were his mother and Mia.

And now, Anastasia Steele made the list. Rather effortlessly if he may add.

He has to admit, though, that when he saw a new face working when he entered his sister's café, his first instinct was to mess with her. Test her competence and ability to bear with a customer like him.

Except when her eyes locked on his, all thoughts of giving her a hard time flew out the window. Her blue orbs triggered every single part of his body and soul in a way that he wouldn't even dare to understand.

Including his dick, of course.

The honesty and vulnerability he saw in them made him forget of his plan to make her suffer on her first day, and he just got the sudden feeling that he wanted to know her. Not just as Mia's employee, but the real _her_. Every. Single. Thing. About. Her.

Whoa_. What the fuck? _When the fuck did that happen? Christian wasn't ever the type to get involved with women and all their drama. He's always kept as much distance to that as possible. Hence his lifestyle – BDSM doesn't require all that shit. It doesn't have to involve real feelings. And it calls for the only kind of commitment Christian can provide – the written kind. It's all about a contract, sex, and nothing else. Most of his subs were just in it for the experience and naturally, his money.

Most of them except for the last one he contracted, whom he had to let go just a month prior. Leila had wanted more and he refused to provide her that. He made it a rule that feelings could never be laid on the table, and that's exactly what she did. She laid it all out for him, begging for him to reciprocate her affection, and what did she get instead? His goodbye. And he doesn't even regret it.

Honestly, she should have known better.

Christian Grey never gets himself in a real relationship, where he has to make an effort of knowing a woman outside of contract. Where other things are discussed besides soft limits and hard limits and rules and punishments.

He doesn't do love. Hell, he doesn't even do _feelings_.

And yet one look at Anastasia Steele and his world turns upside-down? _What the actual fucking fuck?_

Fuck, he'd dwell on all that later. Right now, he's just keen on holding a conversation with her for as long as he could. Originally, he was planning for a quick stop here before he went to work, but he supposes that it could wait. He's never had a day-off since forever, anyway.

Now he has to make sure if Miss Steele is worth the choice to forgo a day of work.

"But not today," he continues speaking, and shit, he feels eager to discover more about her. He's beyond puzzled by himself. "Today is about Mia's new employee. How's the experience so far?"

"It's great, Mr. Grey. I like it. Though I haven't really done much before you whisked me away," she admits shyly.

"You're lucky my sister isn't here. She has a tendency to go insane whenever a large number of people barge in all at the same time." He pauses. "More insane than she already is when she's in her normal state, anyway."

She lets out a nervous giggle that ends up sounding breathy, and damn if that doesn't have a direct effect on his dick. He shifts slightly to find some comfort. "I'm sure she's wonderful, though you're the expert on her so-called tendencies, of course."

"You haven't met her yet?"

She flushes again. Her alabaster skin turns a pretty shade of pink. _Hmm…_ "Um, no. Mrs. Thompson was the one who hired me," she says.

"I see, yes, Mia does trust Mrs. Thompson with a lot of things," he replies thoughtfully. "Well, if you _had _met her on the day you sought for the job, you probably wouldn't have accepted it anymore."

"You know, Mr. Grey, you aren't painting on me such a good impression of my boss," she says teasingly. She seems more comfortable now, no longer intimidated by him. Though she won't meet his gaze.

Hmm, maybe still a little intimidated.

"I just like to state things the way they are, Miss Steele," he shoots back with another smile.

That's another thing – he couldn't seem to stop himself from smiling around her. _Fuck fuck fuck! _He's never smiled so much at a person before. Maybe he should just run far, far away from this woman.

Maybe he'd just ask Mia to fire her. Yes, yes, he could do that. He _would _do that. He'd brush off how disgustingly ruthless the idea is if it means it would save him from all the confusion and mind-fuck he's having right now.

But then she meets his gaze and says honestly, "That may be, but I'm pretty sure I would have accepted the job regardless, Mr. Grey. I don't want to get too personal, but I do need it at the moment." Her expression holds an emotion that Christian couldn't place.

Well, there goes his cruel idea flying out the window.

How can he have Mia fire her now? Fuck, after hearing her say that, if he still continues on with his plan to take her job from her, he'd have an instant gate pass to hell.

Plus, he doesn't think he could ever bear the thought of causing her any suffering, not now.

_Holy shit _where did that thought come from? Since when did he care?

He takes his cup and takes a generous sip of his coffee this time. He decides to maneuver the conversation again. "Tell me about yourself, Miss Steele."

"Ana, please."

"Then I suppose you must call me Christian, if you insist on being called Ana." Another new thing. Besides his family, his shrink, and probably Ros, he's never allowed anyone to call him by his first name.

Her eyebrows shoot up before she laughs slightly. It's a beautiful sound. "There's really not much to know about me, _Christian_." Oh, he likes the way his name rolls off her lips.

"I highly doubt it. Everybody has secrets." _He _certainly does. Deep, dark, dirty secrets.

The slight tension her body seems to adapt at his words doesn't go unnoticed by him, though he doesn't call her out on it.

"That they do," she agrees in a rather forced teasing tone, her attempt to keep light the atmosphere between them obvious. "Though secrets aren't supposed to be told, are they?" She seems to have recovered, plastering a smile across her face.

"I suppose not," he acquiesces. "Unless we're friends. Which we are."

She laughs now, no longer holding back. "Christian, we hardly know each other."

"But our progress is promising, isn't it?" He flashes her another playful smile, which she returns.

"I guess so," she says. "But I'm still not telling you those _secrets _you're so keen on knowing about. Maybe one day."

"I'll hold you to that."

"That you do," she retorts.

"So?"

"So, what?" she asks.

"Tell me at least _something_."

She giggles adorably. Fuck, she's beautiful _and _cute. He doesn't recall ever thinking somebody as _cute_. "Okay, um. You know my name, I'm twenty-four, and uh . . . I live just a few blocks from this café, but I'm from Portland. I used to work at a local hardware store there. But Kate, my best friend, she started working for her father and had to move here for that. I tagged along. And now, here I am." She shrugs a shoulder delicately. Damn, she talks fast.

"What inspired you to move here with her?" He's genuinely curious to hear about it.

"Um . . . I studied English Lit, Kate – she took journalism, and we graduated two years ago. I really always wanted to work in publishing, but had to make that dream wait for some…reasons." She's holding something back, and hell if that doesn't tempt him to push her for more information.

But he refrains himself from doing so. _Baby steps, Grey. Don't scare her away._ "I see. And you feel like now's that right time to pursue it again?" he concludes gently, careful not to insinuate any tone to his voice that could cause misunderstanding.

"Yes," she confirms shyly. "And I like Seattle," she continues.

"Better than Portland?"

"Oh, yes," there's an odd conviction in her voice, "Way, _way _better than Portland." Her face wears a casual mask, but he can just sense something there, an underlying meaning to her simple statement.

He's always been good at telling whether or not a person is telling him everything or if they're hiding something from him. It's part of what made him who he is today. CEO . . . Master of his universe.

He smirks at her. "Hmm, I would have to agree, seeing as Seattle now has something Portland once had."

She furrows her eyebrows, befuddled, and bites her bottom lip. But she says nothing in response.

_Fuck_. He wants to lean over the table and bite her lip, too. He feels his dick go harder than it's even been before. Damn, it's almost painful to bear.

Nevertheless, he manages to croak out a husky word.

"You."

_Holy shit, Grey. Where did that come from?_

Hell if he knows. Crazy how one day, one conversation, one girl can just fucking tilt your world until you're out of balance.

And what's crazier? He couldn't bring himself to care about righting it.

Fuck.

_**Ana's POV**_

She takes yet another deep breath as she fishes her apartment keys out of her purse, pushing it into the keyhole and turning it until she hears the lock click. Today wore her out, which is crazy to say seeing as she barely even really got to do any real work, because Mr. Grey – _Christian _refused to leave the café until about two-thirty in the afternoon, managing to keep their conversation lasting for hours after repeatedly reassuring her that she won't get fired for talking with him for that long.

"I'll explain everything to Mrs. Thompson before I leave," he had said.

And true to his word, he did talk to the older woman, and though Ana still doesn't have any idea what he told her, Mrs. Thompson didn't say anything except for a simple, "Get back to work now, Ana," after Christian exited the café. She attended tables until her shift ended at 6 PM, after promising Ally and James a summary of what just really happened as soon as she got her head wrapped around it herself.

All in all, she got to do her job for about half an afternoon. But still, she considers this day rather…_eventful_. She's never talked about herself so much in one sitting. But Christian has the ability to rib people for information without them realizing it.

She's fallen victim to the man's charm. And she couldn't even will herself to be rueful. She likes Christian. _A lot_. Which is insane, because all they had was a few hours of conversation, and who knows if she's ever going to see him again after today? He seems like a busy man, not the type to laze around coffee shops on a regular basis.

She has to admit, though, that she wants to see him again. _Boy does she want to_. Despite how their conversation had ended.

She cringes at the memory.

As she enters the apartment, she hears the sound of the television from the living room, along with Kate's muttering and releasing of some rather bland criticism. Ana realizes that she's watching some kind of fashion show as she shifts her gaze to see what's gotten Kate in such a worked up state.

"Hey, Kate," she greets carelessly, toeing off her shoes and placing them carefully on the rack by the door. She walks further inside the apartment and puts her purse on top of the coffee table before walking into her room.

Kate follows her. "How was your first day?" she asks, beaming at her.

Ana ponders for a moment, searching for the right words as she sits on the edge of her bed as she does so. "Um, it went well, very…remarkable," she says.

"Remarkable?" Kate raises an eyebrow, her expression equal parts confused and apprehensive.

Ana hesitates. "I, um, I met…" She sighs. "I met Christian Grey."

Kate's other eyebrow joins the one that was already raised. "Billionaire, handsome and sexy as hell, _Christian_ _Grey_?" she exclaims, and Ana suspects excitement in her voice.

_Billionaire? _Ana's eyes widen for a second. "Well, I don't know about the billionaire thing, but I _can _attest to the handsome and sexy comment," she admits, and she can't help it; she giggles merrily.

A grin begins to form in Kate's mouth. "Ana Steele, did you just giggle at the thought of a man?" She laughs vigorously when Ana blushes, obviously overjoyed that she's finally showing interest in a man.

"Um…"

Kate's grin only gets bigger. "Anyway," the blonde starts, "The billionaire part is factual. The guy's very, _very _rich."

"Really? Well, I kind of figured he's rich, since the owner of the café I work at is his sister, _and _he was dressed impeccably in what had to be designer clothes."

"Yes, Ana, _really_. He's one of the richest bachelors in America."

_What the actual hell? _She knew he had to be wealthy, smart, too, but she didn't know that he was _that_ wealthy.

"I'm assuming from your dumbfounded look that you didn't know any of that," Kate says, visibly amused. "You should have Googled him that night I introduced you to Elliot."

"I know," she says. "But he didn't even tell me…"

"Wait. You two _talked_?" Kate's voice now borders on shrieking.

"Um, yes…"

"For how long?"

"Hours . . . He even, uh, took me to lunch before we went back to the café." She was kind of hoping to forget about that.

Lunch was a bit of an awkward affair, filled with her nervous mumbling and Christian's onslaught of questions. He took her to an Italian deli just across the café, practically going ballistic when she told him around noon on the middle of their chat that she actually hasn't eaten anything for breakfast. He had ordered for her, engaged in small talk, watched her eat, and paid for their meal after they've finished. He kind of forced her to finish all the food that was on her plate.

"Eat, Anastasia, or we'll never leave this restaurant," he had threatened, and she had immediately caved, intimidated, and had eaten up all of her food. By the time they walked back to the café, she was uncomfortably full, but he had seemed oddly pleased.

"_What?!_" Okay, _definitely _shrieking now. "Ana! He must like you!"

"I don't know, Kate…"

"Jeez, Steele, you know I love you, but just how imperceptive are you for not thinking that very real possibility?" Kate exclaims. "I mean, are you sure we're talking about the same Christian Grey? How in hell did you even get him to talk for _hours_? _That_ in itself is telling," she's stood up now, leaving the room without waiting for her to reply, then walks back in with her phone pressed to her ear.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm calling Elliot," Kate states simply.

"_What_? Why?"

"If you aren't going to find out what's up with Mr. Billionaire, then I am."

"Kate, I barely even know the guy. Who knows if I'm ever going to see him again?"

That gets her an elaborate eye roll. "Trust me, Ana, if he liked you enough to talk with you for hours, you're definitely going to see him again. For goodness' sake, you work for her sister, _and _his brother is my boyfriend."

Boyfriend? That's what Elliot is? Since when did Kate allow someone to be her real, honest to God boyfriend? Ana supposes things between them got pretty serious real fast, and tries her best to resist the urge to smile teasingly at Kate.

"Damn, he's not answering his phone," Kate mutters, then dials again.

"I still don't understand why you're calling Elliot right now." Her eyes widen. "You aren't planning to set me up to meet with Christian, are you?"

"First name basis? _Just _how friendly did you get?" Kate's eyes narrow into questioning slits. "I'm just going to see if Elliot has any idea about _Christian's _intentions. I met the guy last Saturday when Elliot forced him to go for drinks with us, and he said, like, two words before he excused himself and left."

"Oh…" He _did _give off the mysterious vibe, but he wasn't silent. Granted, it was her who did most of the talking, as he's had so many questions during the time they were together today.

"Oh dammit, I'll just call him later. I'll send him a text for now; get him to ask Christian about his…_endeavors _today." Kate sounds a bit annoyed, probably because she's anxious to hear about Christian's side of the story from Elliot.

If she were to be honest, she's anxious to hear it, too.

"But if he's as silent as you claim him to be, how would Elliot possibly grill anything from him?"

"Elliot's a nosy bastard, and he told me that if he irritates Christian enough, the guy relents and talks."

"Oh…" That's her go-to expression when she's unsure of what else to say in response.

"So, what did you and the hot-shot talk about?" Kate asks, and the excitement is back in her voice.

"Me, mostly," she mumbles.

"You?" Kate stares at her like she's grown another head.

"Yes, me," Ana repeats. "He, um, wanted to get to know his sister's new employee."

Kate's smirk takes its place once more. "Mhmm, I'm sure he did."

"Kate, it wasn't like that . . ."

"Oh for Pete's sake, Ana, when would you give yourself enough credit?" her best friend admonishes. "You're beautiful, and hot, and he was attracted so _of course _he wanted to meet you – simple as that."

She sighs heavily. "I don't know, but…well, he got me talking. About myself. For hours. I don't even know how, he didn't force me, but I felt myself kind of opening up. You know how much I hate being the center of attention, or being the topic of discussion, but with him, I didn't mind so much. Crazy, right? I only just met him and he managed to have me answering all of his questions."

"Probably why he's so good in business, being CEO to his own company and all . . ." Kate murmurs absently.

"_CEO to his own company_?" _Holy hell. _She had no idea. He must really be a known figure. That explains all the stares they received awhile ago.

"Oh, Ana, you should _really _find the time to Google the man. I mean, who doesn't have any idea who Christian Grey is? Only you, probably."

"Um…later, I will. I'll borrow your laptop," she says.

"Okay, now tell me more about your conversation," Kate prods impatiently.

"It wasn't even all that interesting. We mostly just talked about me. Nothing too personal, though…and you know why. But every time I asked him something about himself, he would give me a vague answer, then steer the focus back to me." She kind of felt weird about that when he did it, but she brushed it off.

"Did he kiss you before you parted ways?" Kate asks nonchalantly, as if she's asking about the weather.

"What? Of course not!" she exclaims in response, incredulous. "That would be too straight-forward."

"Getting you to talk about yourself for such a long time was a big step, and you don't seem to mind." The blonde shrugs. "So I wouldn't be surprised if you let him kiss you."

Ana rolls her eyes. Honestly, Kate is just – impossible. "We didn't kiss. In fact, our conversation ended rather…awkwardly."

"Oh?"

She hesitates, looking down at her hands knotted at her lap. "Yes, I kind of just, um…shut-down."

"Ana, what happened?" Kate's gone to motherly mode, her voice a sound of pure concern.

"He – um, he asked me," she starts quietly, feeling a bit uneasy. "Things were going fine, smoothly, but then he, uh… He asked me about my parents, and why I don't talk about them that much. He didn't even push me to say anything. It was just a simple question, and I wasn't mad or anything. But I – I panicked, sort of. And I just kind of shut down in front of him. He looked apologetic, if a little intrigued."

"Oh, Ana . . . You can't blame the guy. I'm sure he wasn't meaning to make you feel bad. He was probably genuinely interested to know more about you." Kate defending a man... Ana never thought she'd ever see the day.

"I know," she murmurs. "As I have said, I wasn't – and am not mad at him. I was more embarrassed by my behavior. I mean, you'd think I'd have moved on by now –"

"Oh no, Steele, we are _not _going through this again." Kate interrupts, reprimanding. "I told you not to rush yourself into anything. You've been through a lot, and it's okay to take your time moving on from all that crap the universe threw your way."

She sighs heavily, feeling tears finally sting her eyes. _No. No she will absolutely not cry over this again_. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure that put him off enough to never want to see me again. I didn't even bid him a proper acknowledgement when he was leaving." Is that _sadness _in her voice? She's saddened by the possibility of not seeing Christian Grey again? Oh, she's got it bad.

There's a gleam in Kate's green eyes. "Oh, Ana, believe me when I say that he _will_ find a way to see you and talk to you again." That smirk once more.

"Huh?"

"You've got him intrigued. Of course he'll come back. And if I may say, Christian Grey might just be what you need… Or _you_ might be what _he _needs. After all, you both got each other talking," Kate teases with a shrug, before her voice adapts a more serious tone. "I won't force you into seeing a man, Ana, and after how your conversation ended, it would be understandable if you want to distance yourself from Christian. But…"

"What? Just spit it out, Kate."

"Ana, if Mr. Billionaire was the first person to get you to open up willingly, he might just be what's good for you right now. And, oh! If it works out, we might be future sisters-in-law!"

* * *

_A review would be much appreciated! :)_


	3. Chapter 3

_I wrote and re-wrote this chapter so many times but it's still a little rough. Didn't get as far as I would have liked but... It's something! Thank you so much for your patience, and for the kind words about this story. The progression will move faster as we go along, but right now I want to take it slow... Some big secrets will be revealed in the next chapter!_

_Here's chapter 3! Please tell me what you think! :)_

* * *

_**Christian's POV**_

Christian breathes heavily as he reaches for a bottle of water from the refrigerator, home from yet another long run. He has been outdoing himself lately, each morning run lengthier than the one before. Though in spite of that, none of them actually helped clear his mind; it's still very much preoccupied of thoughts about one Anastasia Steele.

It's been five days since their interaction, and he still couldn't seem to free himself of his interest in her. He's been holding back on the urge to run a thorough background check on her, and so far, he's thankfully been able to prevent himself on digging for information. Okay, well, so he _did _have Welch run a background check on her, but the man had told Christian that strangely, Anastasia's records seem to have a few gaps here and there.

Suffice to say, that only heightened his desire to know more about her. He's not a very patient man, and with the way Ana had reacted to his very simple question, well – his curiosity was piqued. However, he also got the feeling of holding off on a broader research on her, and he's not exactly sure why. Usually, if a person catches his interest, he automatically wants Welch to supply him everything there is to know about the person.

"Anastasia Steele," he mumbles to himself, "Your effect on me is confounding."

"Indeed, it is," a voice interrupts his deep contemplation, and he turns, surprised when he's met with the sight of his brother walking inside his kitchen.

"Elliot," he says, putting his bottle down on top of the counter. "How'd you get in here? I didn't hear you come in." He looks around for Taylor, intending to give him a reprimanding glare, but he's not in the room.

Elliot grins, shrugging his shoulders as he seats himself on the counter adjacent to the one Christian is currently leaning against. "That's probably because you were drowning in whatever thoughts you were having. Tell me, is it about Ana?" Elliot wiggles his brows at him, and he in turn frowns.

"You know her?" he questions, unable to hide the disapproval in his voice. Somehow, the idea of Elliot being anywhere near Ana doesn't sit well with him.

Elliot holds both his hands up. "Whoa, no need to get grumpy, brother," he says, his grin still there, full of mockery, "I do, but only through my girlfriend."

Girlfriend? His brother has someone he calls _girlfriend_? "Miss Kavanagh?"

Elliot nods. "The one and only," he affirms with a sickeningly sappy smile, "Ana's her best friend; they live together," he informs him.

Katherine Kavanagh…_Kate_. That's probably her. Yes, yes he remembers now. Ana did mention her to him during their conversation. Wait, does that mean that she told Miss Kavanagh about him? For some reason, the thought pleases him, much to his astonishment. He's aware that it shouldn't; he's a _very_ private man, but seeing as Ana hasn't signed an NDA yet, he'll let it slide. And anyway, he isn't too worried; he made sure he didn't divulge any real information about him towards her.

Much as he wanted to.

Which was another new thing.

"Uh, I'm still here," Elliot says, waving his hand while laughing a little. Christian resists the urge to punch his face just to get rid of that smirk.

"Why didn't you bring Miss Steele to the bar when you invited me for drinks?" he asks without much pondering.

Elliot frowns, says, "As much as it saddens me to say this, Ana's not that into drinking." Hmm. That's good. That means he wouldn't be having a problem prohibiting her from drinking too much, once he finally stakes his claim on her. He suppresses the delighted smile that threatens to appear in his face, certain that that would only worsen Elliot's prying and prolong his mission to get him off his back.

When he takes too long to respond, Elliot speaks again, "Besides, would it have made any difference? It's not like you stayed for long," his frown deepens, "You stayed for like, five minutes after I introduced you to Kate." To be fair, he tried his best to find in him the will to stay longer, but he didn't survive, plainly because Miss Kavanagh irritated the hell out of him. The lady never stopped asking questions.

He decides to throw Elliot a bone, "I might have stayed, had Miss Steele been there. Who knows?" Then before Elliot can say anything, he adds, "Now, Elliot, why are you here? I'm busy." He mutters the last two words.

Elliot raises an eyebrow. "I was just trying to see how you are, brother," he says.

"Really now?" He rolls his eyes, continues, "I'm fine, as you can see. You can leave now."

"Aw, come on, Christian," Elliot says, almost whining. Seriously. Annoying. "Just tell me a little about it."

"About what?" he asks. "And stop whining like a little boy."

"About Ana," he says, ignoring his last comment, "I heard you two talked for, like, a day." How the hell did he know about that? Oh never-mind, Katherine Kavanagh probably told him. Christian grimaces inside; she really does seem like the type who couldn't keep her mouth shut, nor keep her nose out of other people's business. How apt, seeing as Ana mentioned that she studied journalism – it suits her perfectly. "You don't even spend that much time talking with _us_, and we're family. Ana, on the other hand, was someone you just met," Elliot carries on matter-of-factly. "Do you like her?"

"Fuck off, Elliot," Christian scowls at him, pushing his body off against the counter and walking out of the kitchen, and into the great room. To his aggravation, Elliot follows him.

"You do like her!" he accuses merrily, which irritates him further.

"For fuck's sake, Elliot, this is none of your business," Christian snarls. He understands where Elliot's excitement is coming from; after all, he knows his whole family has always thought him to be gay, though they never asked. But all this nagging is only pissing him off. He's not even sure if he likes Ana. Hell, he doesn't even know what it's like to truly like a woman who's not family. These…circumstances are completely foreign to him, taking him far, far away from his comfort zone. And to have someone question them so soon before he even deciphers them himself – well, it gets on his nerves.

There's only one thing he's very, _very _certain of though: He wants to fuck her. On a level with which he's never wanted to fuck anyone ever before.

And somehow, that scares the shit out of him. He's not used to wanting a woman this much. But it also brings him up for the challenge all the more. It heightens his desire to make Anastasia his. He's just not sure where to begin.

"Oh, you _so _do, I can see it in your face right now," Elliot says, almost sounding triumphant. He resists rolling his eyes once more. He guesses Miss Kavanagh's personality is starting to rub off on his brother. "How lucky are you, right? She's Mia's employee, and my girlfriend's best friend. Lots of opportunities for you to see her often," Elliot wiggles his eyebrows conspiratorially.

Christian stifles a snort. "Stop mingling with my business, Elliot. I don't like Ana. Hell, I haven't even seen her again since that day I met her. So no, contrary to what you believe, I _don't _like her." Or does he? Confusion engulfs him once more, as even he can hear how futile his own words sound.

Elliot puts both his hands up again, placating this time. Honestly. Everything his brother is doing right now is making him want to punch him even more.

"Okay, okay," Elliot's voice is sing-song, "But you want her, don't you? You can deny that you like her all you want, but I can tell that you want her." He starts walking away from Christian, heading towards the foyer with a rather secretive smile gracing his face. It's so easy to tell when Elliot's up to something that isn't good, so he frowns at him. What the hell is he playing at now?

Before he can ask, Taylor appears and escorts Elliot all the way out of the territory of the penthouse and into the elevator. As they enter, Elliot finally looks at him again with a bright grin, as if he's just come up with the greatest idea. His final words before the doors close on him and Taylor, "I'm going to have so much fun telling Mia all about this."

Shit. Not Mia. Now he's sure he'll really never hear the end of this _Christian likes Ana_ subject.

He sighs, resigning himself to his fate, and pushes through the doors to go back inside to take a long shower. He needs to find a way to clear his mind.

_**Ana's POV**_

"I thought you two had a connection," Ally muses as they both untie their aprons, having just finished off with their Monday shift. It's been exactly a week, and Ana still hasn't seen nor heard from Christian. To say that she's disappointed is a gross understatement.

"Well, it seems like you thought wrong," she tries not to sound dejected, she does, but Ally's returning sympathetic gaze tells her she isn't very accomplished. Honestly, she's not even sure why she's feeling this way. She isn't surprised, not really. It's not like Christian showed her any reason for her to think he's interested.

_Yeah, except you know, he spent most of the day talking with you, getting to know you… He bought your tea… He took you to lunch… No big deal… _Her subconscious points out.

She wants to believe that he _is _interested in her, she wants to so freaking badly, but he was probably just being nice. Who would want her, really? Not even Jose would if he only knew…everything. She's nothing special. Not to mention tainted with secrets she wants to bury deep, deep down underground just so nobody ever finds them; and a past she desperately wants to let go of, but also doesn't at the same time. Ergo, fucked up. If men only knew what she went through, and the baggage she carries, they'd run far away from her in less than a second.

She vaguely registers Ally's voice as she exclaims, "We're here!" Ana focuses her gaze on the shop in front of them, only to be greeted with lots of clothes. Uh-oh. Shopping. Definitely not her scene.

"Uh . . . I thought we were going to unwind?" she says, blinking at Ally, who nods enthusiastically.

"We are!" Ally affirms, clapping her hands excitedly. She grabs Ana's hand and drags her inside the boutique. They're about to walk around when Ana's phone starts ringing.

"Hold on, Ally, I'm just going to take this call," she says, hurrying outside the boutique once more. She takes a deep breath as soon as she gets outside, thankful to be spared a few moments of dreadful shopping.

She shudders before answering her ringing cell, "Ana Steele."

A woman speaks on the other end, entirely formal, "Miss Steele? This is Elizabeth Morgan from Seattle Independent Publishing."

_SIP? _She stops breathing. "Miss Morgan, hi," she manages, "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"You see, Miss Steele, we have received and examined your résumé, and would like to interview you for the position of assistant editor, if you are still interested to work for SIP."

She's so shocked it takes her a moment before she finds her voice. "I – um, yes, of course. Thank you, Miss Morgan," she says, struggling to keep her voice calm. "May I ask when the interview is?"

"Wednesday at 2:30 PM."

She nods, before realizing that the other woman can't see her. She vocalizes, "Noted, thank you, Miss Morgan. I'll see you then."

"Good day, Miss Steele." Then just like that, the line gets cut.

She blinks a couple of times, hardly believing what just happened. Did she really just get a call from SIP, wanting to interview her? _Yes, yes, she did_. Holy cow. She can hardly contain her excitement as she rocks on the balls of her feet, debating on whether to call Kate first, inform Ally who's probably trying on some clothes inside the shop, or rush home altogether.

Ally saves her from making a decision, "Hey, Ana, what's taking you so long?" she asks from the door of the boutique. "Is everything alright?"

Ana turns to grin at her brightly, so brightly she sort of feels like her face might split in half. She probably looks like a fool right now, but she really is having a difficult time containing her glee. _Finally, a real opportunity to get her life together! _"I just got a call from SIP. They asked me if I'm interested on being interviewed for a position on Wednesday!" she squeals. She catches the attention of some passers-by, but she couldn't care less.

"Get the fuck out!" Ally cries out excitedly, making her way over to Ana in what looks like a combination of a run and a hop. Apparently, she doesn't care about the passers-by either. "Ana, that's such great news!" she engulfs her in a tight hug.

She laughs, hugging Ally back. "I know, but we shouldn't get too excited though," she says, "It's just for an interview. Nothing's certain yet."

Ally pulls back and stares at her incredulously. "Come on, Ana, they'd be dumb not to hire you."

She feels herself blush. Compliments somehow always make her feel a little uncomfortable. "Thanks, I guess," she mumbles shyly. She takes a deep breath. "Come on, I think we should celebrate a little. Do you want to go with me to my apartment? I'll cook then we can do…something. I don't know. You can meet Kate."

"Kate as in your room-mate?" They're already walking towards the direction of her apartment, Ally's yearning to buy new clothes seemingly forgotten.

"The very same. She also has an attachment to shopping. You'd get along pretty well."

**-x-**

Ally leaves their apartment later in the evening, muttering something about the fact that unlike Ana, her shift at the café tomorrow is early. Ana and Kate – whom predictably, Ally got along with pretty well – chuckle at her grumbling while they both wave goodbye at the door.

"Well, she's a fun person," Kate says as they close the door behind them. They start walking towards the sofa to finish their drinks. At dinner Ana cooked some pasta, and they decided to have some wine to help digest the food better. The bottle Kate bought at the nearby shop was pretty expensive, but Ana really couldn't complain – hey, she wants to celebrate.

"She is," Ana nods. "Very talkative, too. She's like my Kate at work." She giggles, as does Kate, as they take turns drinking the rest of the wine from the bottle.

Kate suddenly changes the subject, "So . . . Grey still hasn't made a move on you?"

She blanches a little, not really in the mood to wallow in her self-pity because Christian would never be interested in a person like her, but decides to answer anyway, "No, he hasn't." This time, she manages to make her voice neutral.

"Well, he's slow," Kate says with a shrug of her shoulders.

"What? Maybe he's not planning to make a move at all." She swallows the lump in her throat. Honestly, she's met the guy once and yet she's _this _affected by the thought of him not wanting her?

_He's the only person who's made you feel comfortable enough to open up to him. _Her subconscious explains once again. She's right, though. Well, she wouldn't say _comfortable _per say, but Ana truly didn't feel uneasy all the while Christian asked questions about her. For once, she felt like if she told someone everything about her, she wouldn't be judged or pushed away. And that's all she ever wanted. Reassurance that someone would stay.

Kate clicks her tongue in disagreement, "Elliot tells me otherwise. He says his brother has got it bad for you," Kate looks at her with a twinkle in her eye as she says this.

She tries her best to suppress the little hope that's blooming in her chest.

"Maybe Grey just doesn't know where to start," Kate continues.

"I don't know, Kate. I really don't want to get my hopes up."

Kate's about to open her mouth to reply when they're interrupted by a knock on the door. Ana stands up, heads for the door, and opens it, only to be greeted by nobody.

There's a bouquet of flowers, a box of chocolates, and a bottle of champagne on the floor though.

She picks everything up, goes back inside and closes the door once more. "Uh, Kate?"

Kate looks up and at her, then bolts upright to rush to her. "Oh, who are those from?" she asks excitedly.

Ana puts the things down on the center table in their living room, plopping herself down again on the couch. She shrugs her shoulders. "Maybe Elliot?"

"Wait, there's a card." Kate picks up a card attached to the box of chocolates, her giddy eyes scanning through it. "Ana, it's from him!"

Him? "Who? Elliot?"

"No, Christian! These are for you!"

For the second time this evening, her breath leaves her lungs. "Really?" she asks dumbly, taking the card from Kate.

_Anastasia_

_I heard about your impending interview with SIP, and I wanted to offer you my congratulations._

_Please accept these gifts, and my wish of the best of luck. I know you'll do well._

_I look forward to seeing you again soon. I quite miss that smart mouth._

_And that beautiful face._

_Christian_

"Ana, say something!" Kate urges, now sitting beside her.

She shakes her head. "I, uh . . . I don't know what to say," she starts. She's still holding the card tightly.

"Seems like Grey is starting to make a move, huh? Finally. I have to say that though he took too long, his actions are on point," the blonde says in approval.

Ana looks at the bouquet of flowers again, only now noticing that they're gardenia. _Her favorite_. Is it coincidence?

"You should try the chocolates. I think they're Belgian. Aren't those your favorite?" Kate carries on talking.

_What? _Two of her favorites? She shakes her head again. _It's only pure coincidence, Ana_. How could he possibly know about her preferences? She's pretty sure she didn't tell him about those. She looks at the champagne, and while she doesn't have a favorite in that certain aspect, she could tell that it's not cheap.

She resists the urge to snort. _Of course it's not cheap. It's from a billionaire for crying out loud!_

"Ana, are you there?"

She finally turns her focus on Kate. "I think I'm going to help clean this up and then . . . head in . . ." She stands and starts on the task, Kate following her cue without another word. Thank God. She's in so much disbelief by Christian's gesture that she's pretty sure her brain has stopped functioning well at the time being.

She heads for the shower then to bed after they finish cleaning up their mess. She's about to succumb into a slumber when her phone pings, indicating a text message.

**I hope you received my gifts.**

**Sleep tight.**

**Christian**

_What the hell? _She hurriedly types her reply.

**How did you get my number?**

**And how did you know my favorite flowers and chocolates?**

**But thank you, that was very sweet.**

She doesn't have to wait too long before she gets a response.

**I have sources. I know plenty about you, Anastasia.**

**Now go to sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, perhaps.**

**Good night.**

_Tomorrow! _He'll see her tomorrow. Her insides rejoice in delight and anticipation. With a grin, she types her final response before sleeping, anxious for it to be tomorrow already. It's official - Christian Grey has made her feel like a teenage girl.

**Are you stalking me, Mr. Grey?**

**I'll see you. Good night. **


End file.
